Almost a third of X users in UK considering leaving, finds Savanta

The findings, based on online interviews with 2,237 UK adults aged 18+ between 9^th and 11th August 2024, found that 29% of X users believed changes to the platform under owner Elon Musk have made the platform worse.

The polling was carried out after far-right riots had taken place across the UK following the murder of three children in Southport, with disinformation on social media blamed in part for the protests.

Four in five of the UK public also said that social media platforms should “prioritise sharing accurate information, even if that sometimes means information is shared less quickly”, according to Savanta.

Just 13% said that social media companies should prioritise speed over accuracy, the survey found. 

Savanta found that Musk was also deemed personally unpopular with the UK public, with a net favourability score of -16, lower than Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (-5 ) and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos (+1 ).

For comparison, Savanta said Musk is currently less popular with the UK public than all Conservative leadership candidates except Priti Patel (-30 ).

In addition, 33% of the UK public said they trust information seen on social media, rising to 51% of 18- to 34-year-olds and falling to 18% of those aged 55 and over.

WhatsApp is the most popular social media platform in the UK, with 65% of UK adults saying they use the messaging service at least once a day, followed by Facebook ( 63%), Instagram ( 47%) and TikTok ( 30%).

One in four ( 27%) of UK adults say they use X once a day.

The most used app by over-55s is Facebook at 52%, while 76% of 18 to 34-year-olds use Instagram every day, ahead of WhatsApp ( 73%) and TikTok ( 59%).

Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta says: “The ease at which disinformation spread on social media during the Southport murders and subsequent riots, alongside Musk’s personal actions, suggests that the public may now have reached an inflection point with both X, and Musk himself.

“A majority of UK’s X users think the platform has got worse under Musk, with three in 10 saying they’re planning to leave. The public disagree with his whole approach to social media, and he can’t tap into a deep well of personal popularity either, as he attempts to fight off potential further regulation and even legal action.”